Tokyo’s foreign evasion

Porsche joins the exodus of foreign car-makers from Japan’s once mighty motor show

THE once-mighty Tokyo motor show will be a mere shadow of its former self this year, with foreign participation almost non-existent following the news from Automotive News this week that Porsche will not attend in October, leaving Hyundai as the only importer to exhibit.

This September’s Frankfurt show has also been hit hard as this week Chevrolet joined Honda, Nissan and Mitsubishi among the non-starters due to the market downturn.

Last month, the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA), which organises the biennial Tokyo show, said there would be only 122 companies exhibiting this year – down from 241 in 2007.

Foreign car-makers are naturally looking to save money in difficult times, but reports suggest they are also tiring of constantly trying to break into the tightly-controlled Japanese market and being treated as second-class exhibitors at the show.

This year’s Tokyo motor show will run from October 23 to November 4 – four days fewer than before – and junior high school children will be admitted free for the first time to boost attendance.